New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-05

from desperate If Henry. Nv. or Frederick the
XVI had found for bis Minister Richeli,u OF
Pitt, q Cavour or a Bismarck France would never
have drifted into anarchy
diable NAV think be easily traced. The policy
of Lewis XIV. toward his Paraments was OF the
kind which beyond all others discredits and weak
on, governmental Either resistance or concession
If consistently and skilfuly conducted might nave
succesded but policy Of alternate resistance ana
concession, of bold acts of authority repeatedly
and ANONYMOUSLY reversed, could have no Other
effect than to uproot all feeling OF reverence Tor the
Crown. fhs same wcik ana nuctnatng polly
was pursued under much more critical circunl-
stances by Lewis xvi The restoration OF ING
Parliaments by that Sovereign appears 10 me 10
have been a capital mistake lt raised up wlthout
necessity an opposition to the Crown Of the most
dangerous and embarrassing oesc;lption ans, IL
at the same time enormously increaseh the ailu
c1ltv of accomplishing the equalization OF taxation
and the Communication of the feudal system, wLlch
were the two measures most absolutely necessary IL
revolution was to be averten. III u. tne ues,n
tested and when his popularity was at Its height.
the King instead of restoring the parliaments had
summoned the States-tienera. to carry these
measures or if. without summoning the
States General, he had decreed them, by
his own royal ,authority, ne would probably
have succeeded. But the propitious moment vas
suffered to pass. false step was taken which
produced endless cmbarrassments. and tho great
fault of the American war soon followed lbs Us
war for the tirst time made French finances IT.
remediable. Ii iuOcnlatel French public 0pi ION
with republican ideas, and it produced that fatal
DISCRIMINATION Of the army which vas sti further
aggravated by tho decree of 1881, making the
higher ranks strict monopoly or the mobiles, Inc
extravag aDce of Ca'onne and the lncapaciy OF
Brienpe co. tinued the work OF rum, ana although
Lewis XVI aud Necker were the whole greatly
superior 10 the average of Frcpch kings and MIN
isers they proved totally destitute OF the Qualities
that were most needed in the crisis of revolution
In this way tue foundations OF authority were
completely slapped. Concessions which at an earlier
period would have bean welcomed with enthns-
VIII Tod tbp a
great famine occurring az time oil great pollncal
excitement immensely strengthened thc clemens
of disorder. The edfce of governn cnt tottered
and fell and all Europe resounded with Its fall.
This leaves ont of the account the demoral' cation
of th. French people. 1t not only the mon
a-ciy that was disorganIzed; 1T was tho entire
nation. France had sunk to depth Of vice from
which no people raised itself without the
shock of a painful awakening. No wise statesman
could have averted tho disaster, because there was
no class of the community with virtue enough to
follow such leader.
The lrish Parliament whose history from 17s2
to 1893 is traced in the sixth volume, was by no
means n representation of the Irish people. The
Catholics could neither vote nor hold seats and so
many of the members were place-hOliers. pension
ers or the nominees of the English owners of
borou ehs that Government coud count upon a safe
majority. Now here was the need of reform more
obvious and nowhere were the ruling statesmen
more unwilling that reform should be applied.
The admission of Catholics to the suffrage and rep
resentaton especially not to be thought Of;
ait would result in making Ireland n Catholic
cour try which seems to he a curious objection
when iour-ffths of the people profess the Roman
faith But Mr.. Lecky. while he admits that the
Irish Parliament grossly illogical, contends
that in very many respects it governed well. Polit
ical tran sactons which would now be thought dis
honorable were then regarded with perfect cou'
placency Honest. patriotic and able gentlemen
| bou ght md sold elections Pensions and sinocures
supported good men in public life. The country
pros cred and the finances improved. The govern
| ment OF ireland, in short under this corrnpt Par
lament. wasthe rule exclusively OF the upper ranks
of the Protestant gentry. 1t COMPRISED the flower
/ of the landlord class II essentially and pre-
eminenly the representative OF the property OF the
country" Oar author cannot help regarding such
| an arran cement with some favor In country like
/ ireland il is imperative that the ascen lency OF
property and inteliig ence should be maintai ned
| Religions determinations are theoretically IN
| proper, bat the Catholics we're not tit for the sun
rage. The idea that Suffrage must always le equal
/ is democratic assumption with which MIR. Lccky
has little patience 1t is we'll known that he has
no liking for Home Rule. and not much civility foi
its principal advocates; AMI his latest vo tune
abounds in references TO the pending controversy
none the less sharp for being partly covered.
The goodness Of laws and political institutions !:
| essentially relative depending upon their sdapta
tion 10 the character, circumstances. wants aud
traditions of The Teope for HON they are intended
and in all these respects England and Ireland were
wholy'di1trenf. There ~ no greater dolnSlOn tbai
TO AZ pose that the degree of popular govern
nent can be scly accorded To nations IN all stage.
of development and that connrs VI a.,
| institutions Of its more advanced neighb"rs'
country where the traditions OF many peaceful cent
nries have knitted the various elmehts Oi Nations
being into q happy unity. whore there IL no disanec
ton TO the Crown or the Government where the
relations Of classes are normal and healthy. where
the influence of property is unbroken. and where
those who are incapabls of Judging for Themselves
find natural leaders of c aracter ard intelligence
everywhere at tnelr heaa; can gas'g pear ~, an
upon a country torn by sedition. religious anlmos
ities aud agrarian war, and IN which all the
/ natural gatures of society have been weakened OF
dsonted An amount of democracy which II
one country leaves the main direction of affairs II
the hands of property and intelligence IN another
country virtually dIsfranchises both, and es
tabshes n system of legalized plunder by transfer
ring all controlling authority to an Ignorant ana
excitable peasantry, guided and dupei by dema
gogues, place-hunters aud knaves. system o
| criminal law and OF criminal procedure which il
admirably adapted for country where crime Il
nothing moro than the outbreak OF $50 ated bad
passions. and where every man, hand is against
the criminal, must fail TO fulfil the first purpose;
of Justice. il IL is applied without modification to
|
upon by great masses of the population acts o
war, where jurymen will acaut In tho face OF tn,
clearost evidence. and whore known criminals ma,
live in security under the shelter OF popular con
nivance or popular intimidation. In a rcl
country, in which many generations Of uninter
rupted prosperity have raised the industrial spiri
to tue highest pon., in which energy and self
reliance are almost redundantly displayed, and IL
which tho middle class is the strongest power IL
tia Stare nearly all industrial enterprises may bt
safely left to the unassisted action OF private in
drviiuals 1t is not so in very poor country
where the middle class is small and feeble. sno
where a long train OF depressing circumstances hay,
reduced tho industrial spirit TO the lowest ebb
Perhaps tho worst consequence OF the legislative
union has been the tendency ii produces 10 measure
Irish legislation by English wants and experience
and TO force Ireland into plane Of democracy fo
whch all who have any real know lodge of its cir
cumstancas must know that II ia wholly un6ttcd